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James Riddle Classic - Short-Handed Mustangs Win Host Tourney

A leg is all Tyler Noon needs to gain position on his finals opponent at the 37th Annual James Riddle Classic.
- photo by IKE DODSON/THE LEADER

Ike Dodson

Updated:
Dec. 11, 2012, 10 p.m.

With a host of wrestlers still competing on Oakdale High’s state-bound football team, the Mustang program is missing some serious depth.

Not that you can tell.

Oakdale scored 258 team points to best the second place team by nearly 100 points and cruise to championship honors in the 37th Annual James Riddle Classic on Saturday.

Oakdale wrestlers were represented in the championship match of seven different weights, accounted for six tournament titles and 10 total medals.

“I thought for their first outing they wrestled really well,” Oakdale coach Steve Strange said. “We had some young guys really step up.

“The older guys kind of took care of business how we thought they would.”

Oakdale received a stunning omission from the finals when returning Sac-Joaquin Section Masters champion Juan Garza accidently pinned himself while turning an opponent to his back on the cusp of a one-sided victory. In his absence, Oakdale ‘B’ team member Trevor Williams rallied to a finals appearance and pinned Galena (Nev.) wrestler Ikika Flag for the 120-pound title. Garza settled for third.

Oakdale’s Logan Eaton had topped Tokay’s Shawn Shota 15-1 for the 106-pound title while Nico Colunga captured gold at 113 with a surprising 17-2 technical fall victory over Bret Harte’s Caleb Story, a 2012 state qualifier.

Ronnie Stevens, back for his first action since breaking his wrist in 2011, bested Daniel Williams of Hughson 14-5 to win the 126-pound title.

Jake Jacobson pinned Patterson’s Manuel Cruz to win it all at 138 while Tyler Noon bested Dustin Sefeid of Lodi in a 7-0 finale at 152. Tanner Reeves, who fought hard in an 8-5 defeat at 160 to Bret Harte’s Justin Barnes, was Oakdale’s lone finals defeat. Reeves was seeded third in the tournament.

Karrel Estell was fourth at 113 while Justin Jacobson ended third at 132.

Miguel Ibarra was third for Oakdale at 195 while Zach Fallentine ended third at 220 as well.